Air-engine.



F. A. ALLEN.

AIR ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14,1912.

1,052,707, Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

WITNESSES INVENTOR WW- FRuzNb H HLLEN ouumm ILANOGRAPN CO.,'ASHINGTON. D4 03 P. A. ALLEN.

AIR. ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1912.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR FFMEND H ALLEN 'his Allomey FRIEND A. ALLEN, OF GRANGER, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. SEARIGI-IT, OF GRANGER, MISSOURI.

AIR-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEND A. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Granger, in the county of Scotland and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to air engines, and the principal object of the invention is to improve and simplify the general construction of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved valve-controlling means for such an engine.

IVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and Figure 1 is a plan view of an air engine employed in connection with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail side view partly in longitudinal section of a portion of the valve operating mechanism connected with the engine. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a certain block forming part of one of the cylinder heads of the engine. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a block which is secured to the block shown in Fig. 3 and forms therewith one of the cylinder heads of the engine. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the block shown in Fig. 8 with the valve removed. Fig. 6 is a view of the valve when removed. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the cylinder head through which the piston rod passes. Fig. 8 is a view of the other portion of the piston rod cylinder head. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of one of the cylinder heads with the valve closed. Fig. 10 is a similar view with the valve open.

In carrying out the invention an engine is provided which is mounted in a suitable frame 10 and having a cylinder 11, piston rod 12, cross head 13, connecting rod 14:, and crank shaft 15. The connecting rod is, of course, connected pivotally at one end to the cross head and at the other end to the crank shaft. The heads of the cylinder are each formed of a pair of blocks 16 and jecting laterally from this 17 secured together in any suitable manner, the block 16 having a vertical passage way 18 open at the top and opening at its lower end into a chamber 19. The block 17 is formed with a transverse passage way 20 which opens at one end into the cylinder 11 and at its other end into the chamber 19 of the block 16. The block 17 is further formed on one side with a pair of substantially semi-circular projections 21 located one above the other and spaced apart, the

straight edges 22 of said projections constituting guides between which is mounted a valve 23 consisting of an oblong rectangular block having projecting laterally from one side a lug 24 which is located transversely in the passage way 11, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 and is slidable therein. Prolug 2 1 is a valve stem 25 which projects through a hole 26 in the block 17 and beyond the same. The valve 28 is provided with a transverse opening 27 which by the movement of the valve 23 is brought into and out of alinement with the passage way 20, thereby opening or closing said passage way.

The inner end of the valve stem 25 has mounted thereon a nut 28 which is movable into and out of a pocket 29 formed in the block 17 as said valve is moved backward and forward. The valve stem 25 is further provided at its outer end with a vertical pin 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, when the blocks 16 and 17 .are securedtogether the valve 23 is movable between the guides to open and close the communication of the passage way 18 with the chamber 19 in the block 16.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10 it will be seen that in Fig. 9 communication is out oif from the chamber 19 to the cylinder, while in Fig. 1.0 the slot 27 permits communication from the chamber to the passage way 20 and thus to the cylinder. It will be observed moreover, that when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 9 the opening 26, which is larger than the valve stem 25, acts to constitute an exhaust port by permitting communication between the passage 20 and the air while when the valve is open this passage 26 is closed. In order to alternately open and close these valves there is provided a reciprocating slide 31 carried in guides 32 and provided with diagonally disposed cam slots 33.

Upon the crank shaft there is provided an eccentric 34 which is surrounded by an eccentric strap 35 having a blade 36 pivotally connected to the slide 33 as indicated at 37. Now, as the crank shaft is rotated by the reciprocation of the engine the valves alternately have their stems pushed in toward the cylinder and pulled out therefrom, thus opening and closing the valves and permitting actuation of the engine.

For the purpose of providing a supply of compressed air or the like, a suitable supply pipe 38 is connected to the openings 18.

In the forward head of the engine it is preferred that the port be offset from the center so as to permit of a suitable piston rod opening 39 being formed in each of the members 16 and 17.

It will be obvious that steam may be used in place of the compressed air and in fact the engine will work with fluid pressure derived from any suitable source. It will also be obvious that by providing a suitable link motion the engine may be reversed so that it can be adapted for use in connection with locomotives or traction engmes. v

There has thus been provided a simple and efiicient device of the kind described, and for the purpose specified. It is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the form and construction thereof, without departing from the material principles thereof, and it is therefore not wished to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described but it is wished to include all such as properly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is 1. In an engine of the class described, a

cylinder, a head for said cylinder having a chamber therein constituting a valve chamber, said valve chamber being provided with a port leading to said cylinder and with a passage way leading from said port to the air, a valve stem extending through said passage way and having one end lying in said port and the other end projecting through the outer end of the passage way, said valve stem being of less diameter than the passage way to provide an annular passage therearound and; a valve mounted on said stem and slidable in said chamber and adapted to selectively close the port or passage.

2. In an engine of the class described, a cylinder, a head at each end of said cylinder, each of said heads being provided with a chamber constituting a valve chamber, each valve chamber being provided with a port leading from the chamber to the cylinder and with a passage way leading from the port to the air, a valve stem extending through said passage way and having one end lying in said port and the other end projecting through the outer end of the passage way, said valve stem being of less diameter than the passage way to provide an annular passage therearound, valves mounted on said stems and slidable in said chambers and adapted to selectively close a port of one chamber and the passage way in the other simultaneously, and means to move said valves.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRIEND A. ALLEN.

Witnesses EARL MoDANmL, R. W. CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

